Page 109 of Crown of Tides and Fury

“He claims he hasn’t. And Orion doesn’t want you only because you’re the competition. He thinks you have Soni’s power. Griffon would have exchanged you for his sister, but he said Orion needed your help to bring her back to life, that you either had Soni’s power or knew where to get it. At least, that’s what he told me.”

“So Griffon didn’t want me merely to exact his revenge.” Wickham sighed loudly. “Just when I think I’ve got a handle on that Fae…”

“Join the club.”

Despite the early hour, he looked as ragged and beat-down as I felt, so I took pity on him. My other news could wait…

42

Damned Mind-Readers

Iwas like a dog on a car ride with the windows rolled down.

Despite the horrible windstorm that nearly lifted me off my feet half a dozen times, I took a jacket and a scarf and spent the day outside, wandering the yard, sitting and watching the gray-brown clouds race across the sky, and sucking every smell into my nose like a caged animal set free—which I technically was.

Grass, ripe apples, dry leaves, and woodsmoke gave the day just the right amount of color and excitement. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and the scent of fresh bread wafted out of the house each time someone opened a door. When I finally had to go inside or starve, I promised myself there would be many more days like it, wherever I ended up.

Most of the team was already seated when I joined them in the dining room. Rinky and Felicity had chosen to eat at the bar in the kitchen, along with Ivy and the boys.

Persi reached across the table to give me something and dropped Hank into my waiting hand without a word. I’d left him in the money belt by my bed and trusted she’d take care of him if he noticed me missing. I’d been distracted since I got back and forgot to ask. But her wink told me he hadn’t been too much trouble.

I dropped my pet rock into my bra for the time being. If I put him in my pocket, I might fiddle with it and knock the plastic coating off. He was looking ragged. As soon as I decided where I would wait out the rest of this war, I would get him recoated…

Besides a little small talk, we ate in relative silence, keeping to the rule of no business at the table. No one asked about my time at the castle, which was probably too business-related to allow.

In the quiet, I savored Alwyn’s cooking like never before, knowing how terribly I’d miss it when I left. And I remembered when I’d first joined this band of fairy hunters, the priorities seemed so simple.

Stay alive.

Keep Big Bad from winning.

That was it. Problem was, the first priority wasn’t so easy anymore, and I couldn’t worry about the second while I was so consumed with the first. So basically, I was no use to the people around that table. And it was time to let them all go.

“No!”

I looked up to find Flann staring at me, his eyes wide with alarm.

“Sorry, lass. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. Sure but yer thoughts were all but shouted.”

Brian gave his brother a dirty look. Persi put down her fork and folded her hands in front of her. The others followed suit.

“Looks like dinner is suspended,” Wickham said. “Ye have our attention.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t ask for your attention.”

“Needless to say…”

I rolled my eyes. “Fine. I’m leaving. I want to go home. Well, not to Idaho, but somewhere in the states. I’m just trying to decide where.”

“Understandable,” Wickham said carefully, “under the circumstances.”

Persi shot him a look.

I pushed on. “I don’t want my memory wiped. I’ve already decided that.”

“Have ye?”

“Yeah. I mean, I love you guys, and I’m grateful, but…the oldSeanairmade a mistake. I’m no help here. And babysitting a mortal is just a distraction for you.”

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